


One of the Legion Lost

by WithTheKeyIsKing



Series: A Deep Mark [1]
Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, BAMF Loki (Marvel), BAMF Wanda Maximoff, Bruce Is a Good Bro, Gen, Genius Shuri (Marvel), Grief/Mourning, Infinity Gems, Loki (Marvel) Has Issues, Loki (Marvel) Lives, Not Avengers: Infinity War Part 1 (Movie) Compliant, Protective Thor (Marvel), The Tesseract (Marvel)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-25
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-26 18:36:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 14,265
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17146955
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WithTheKeyIsKing/pseuds/WithTheKeyIsKing
Summary: Thor and Heimdall agreed that they'd both watched Loki die too many times. Because of that, it was understood that if it was within their power, neither of them would let it happen again.With that in mind, Heimdall sends Loki to earth along with Bruce.





	One of the Legion Lost

**Author's Note:**

> Based on a post by pro-antagonist I saw on tumblr!
> 
> I actually started this maannnyyy months ago but various things got in the way and so this went on the back burner for a loooong while but the Avengers Endgame trailer came out so I got drawn back to this and finally finished it!
> 
> Hope you enjoy, and with five minutes until the 26th, I wish you all a Merry Christmas!

Loki stares at the mad titan in front of him with a slight smile, not letting the way his anxious heart is slamming in his chest show. He isn't afraid for himself reallypast a normal amount of self-preservation, of coursebut for  _Thor,_ who is barely conscious, his head grasped in Thanos' large fist, so very close to death.

They've only just reconciled. Loki's only _just_ fixed things between them.

And now there his brother is, for once in his life nothing more than a pawn in a bigger game, this particular match between Thanos and Loki.

Loki can see exactly what will happen from here; the titan knows that the prince possesses the Space Stone, and he knows  _(he's always fucking known, he forced his way into my head before everything. He looked at my every thought, my every hope, my every feeling-)_ that Loki will do many things, but he will not _can_ notwatch Thor be tortured and killed right in front of him.

Loki has to stop this before it goes too far, but he has limited options.

Most of their people are dead, the rest getting to the escape pods (led by Valkyrie and Banner, thank the Norns that man listened when Loki told him to do so), so a counterattack isn't exactly an option. Heimdall is lying just a few feet behind Loki and the prince resists the urge to turn to look at him.

"The Tesseract, or your brother's head," the mad titan says smoothly. There is no malice in his voice or expression, nothing that conveys he sees them as an enemy to be destroyed. No; to Thanos, the Asgardians around him are nothing more than flies presenting a minor annoyance. He might need Loki right now, but Loki does not inflate his own importance in the grand scheme of things. "I assume you have a preference."

"Oh, I do," Loki purrs back. "Kill away."

The chance is slim  _(too slim, far too slim)_ , but still there's a chance that Thanos will discard Thor as useless and try to get Loki to give him the Tesseract through means that directly harm Loki's personage instead of Thor's. Loki would make that trade without hesitation a million times over.

The mad titan's placid expression doesn't change in the slightest as he presses the Power Stone against Thor's temple. The purple glow of the infinity stone spreads underneath Thor's skin and the king begins to scream in pain, deep and agonized.

Loki holds out for as long as he can. He keeps the smirk fixed on his face, but the farther the power crawls under his brother's skin, the longer his brother screams, the harder it is for Loki to bare it. His smile tightens and then begins to fall, his breathing quickens, and then he simply can't take it anymore.

"Alright, stop!"

Still with his expression never changing, Thanos moves the gauntlet away from Thor's head. Loki hides his flood of relief. The king lets out a groan as he pants. It takes everything in Loki to not stare at Thor, to not catch his gaze and try to be reassuring _(and reassure_ himself _that Thor is ok)_ , to not simply  _run_ to his brother's side and do whatever he could to take care of him.

"We don't have the Tesseract," Thor forces out. "It was destroyed on Asgard."

For a brief moment Loki feels a twinge of guilt, but honestly the fact that he took the Tesseract is probably the only thing that kept Thanos from simply blowing their ship to smithereens instead of the half-job he'd actually done. The pair of them were only still alive because Loki couldn't stop himself from taking that fucking stone from the vaults.

Then again, Thanos might not have gone near them at all if not for the knowledge that the Space Stone was aboard the ship. Or maybe he still would've, because hadn't the titan promised Loki horrifying retribution?

_If you fail, if the Tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice, where he can't find you. You think you know pain? He will make you long for something as sweet as pain._

With nothing he can say to Thor to make this reveal any easier, Loki just summons the Space Stone to his hand, holding it up for Thanos' viewing. In the corner of his eye the prince sees a flash of movement and a planrisky, might not workbegins forming in Loki's mind.

"You really are the worst, brother," Thor tells him on a sigh.

Loki smiles sadly down at his king and takes a step forward. He sees the man in the corner of his eye shift as well, inching closer. "I assure you, brother," Loki says, his heart breaking with every single moment, "the sun will shine on us again."

 _I beg you, Norns, let Thor survive this. If you grant me anything in my miserable life, grant me thisgrant the_ Universe _this. By the gods, don't let him die._

"Your optimism is misplaced, Asgardian," Thanos tells him placidly, reaching out for the Tesseract.

"Well, for one thing," Loki says with a breathed chuckle, "I'm not Asgardian. And for another-" Loki prods sharply at Banner with his magic, the final nudge the Hulk needed to break to the surface and attack. "-We have a Hulk."

As the green beast roars and throws himself at Thanos, Loki dives forward, shielding Thor's body with his own. When the fight has gone away from the two of them, the trickster pops to his feet, looking around for their next move. He sees the Space Stone just a little way away, barely eight feet. He could probably get it, use it to take them far away, but he needs to get Thor _moving_ first.

"Alright, get up," Loki says hurriedly, reaching out an arm to his brother but not taking his eyes off of the Hulk and Thanos fighting. "We need to move."

Thor starts to do as he's told, groaning while he pushes himself up and takes Loki's offered hand. The prince squeezes it tightly, a small amount of comfort blooming now that Thor is right there with him. But they've been too slow and the Hulk hasn't given them enough time; Thanos throws the beast to the ground and Loki dives to the side to find cover, trying to yank Thor with him. But the king is still pretty out of it and he barely moves, slipping from Loki's grasp.

 _No, no, no!_ The prince gets up from where he'd been moving for cover, eyes wide as he tries to come up with a plan. The Hulk is lying on the floor, so is Heimdall, Thor is too weak at the moment, and Thanos is  _right there-_

Loki sees Thor and Heimdall share an intense look, then the gatekeeper reaches to place a hand on his sword. He murmurs, "Forefathers...let the dark magic flow through me one last time..."

A sad sort of relief fills Loki. So this is where he will meet his endbut that's alright, he supposes. Really. He's been through so much, and he's escaped death so many times; it'd been bound to catch up with him eventually. At least _Thor_ will survive, which is a truly wonderful thing. Heimdall will send Thor far away, probably to Midgard, and the king will join his earthly allies and maybe find a way to defeat Thanos.

Loki will just have to try his best to slow the mad titan down before he's killed.

But when the magic of the Bifrost flies through the decimated ship, it doesn't head towards Thor.

"No!" Loki screams. He starts to run towards his brother; if they're touching when the Bifrost takes Loki, then Thor will be transported with him and all will be well. Thor will not die alone on this ship, millions of light-years away from the person who loves him most just because for  _some fucking reason_ Heimdall is saving Loki instead of their king.

The magic grabs him before he's even taken three steps, pulling him along with the shrinking form of the Hulk. The last thing Loki sees of Thor is a sad but hopeful look and some whispered words that Loki can't make out despite how hard he tries.

* * *

As soon as Loki gets his bearings in the crater he and Banner created during their landing, he uses a burst of magic to push himself out of it. He stares up through the hole in the roof of whatever building they'd crashed into, his eyes wide, breathing coming in in harsh pants.

"No!" he screams at the heavens. "No, Heimdall! Send him! Why did you send me?  _Send him!"_ There's absolutely no response andoblivious to the fact that he has an audienceLoki lets out a desperate sob. "Bring me back, gatekeeper! I can save him-!  _Heimdall!"_

Still, Loki gets no reply. Logically, the prince knows that Heimdall is most likely dead. That by this point, Thor probably is, too. But that thoughtthat thought is far too awful a one to believe. There is no universe in which Thor could be dead, not while  _Loki_ is alive. That shouldn't be possible, it shouldn't be  _happening._ Why did Heimdall save him? Why is the dark prince alive when the golden king should be?

"Loki," a voice says softly.

The Asgardian whirls around. Banner is there behind him, dusty from their hard landing and only wearing pants. The doctor startles a little upon seeing Loki's expression, which the prince figures makes sensethe normally put-together, sly trickster is breathing heavily, his eyes are wide and probably glistening with tears he will never let himself shed, and his despair and fear are probably obvious in his every atom.

Banner's gaze turns sad, slightly pitying. Loki can't even bristle like he normally would. "Loki, I'm sorry."

"No," Loki says in response, because  _NO._ "No, he can't be dead. We just have to get back and it'll be fine. We just need to-" he sucks in a deep breath, trying to keep himself from having a full-blown panic attack; he is not a child and he refuses to act like one.

"Loki, I'm sorry," Banner says again. "But even if Thor's still alive, there's no way for us to get back to him. We need to focus on what we  _can_ do. Thanos is coming, Loki, and we need to get the Earth prepared."

Frankly, Loki doesn't give a single shit about Midgard or protecting it from Thanos. The entire  _universe_ can burn to ground, because Loki's already is. What is the  _point_ now? Everything been taken from him. His mother, hishis father, his home, a majority of his people, his  _brother_ what is the point? Loki has nothing to fight for.

Butno. He does. Thanos. Thanos is still out there, and if there's one thing that can motivate Loki, it's revenge. He once told Thor to  _trust his rage,_ and once more Loki draws on that feeling. He draws on his burning desire to see Thanos dead, draws on his last thread of belief that Thor is alive.

That's when Loki realizes that it's not just the two of themstanding a bit to the side is a man in a red cloak Loki recognizes _(fucking portal loop)_ and a man he doesn't know but who carries the same magical aura as the cloaked man, if less powerful.

In an instant, Loki composes himself, his turmoil and despair now firmly locked inside. He's separated himself from his emotions many times in the past it's as easy as breathing now.

He flashes them a charming smile. "Ah, the sorcerer. I had been hoping we'd meet again."

There is...an annoying lack of anxiety in the cloaked man's eyes, only a muted wariness and even slight pity, and _this_ time Loki does feel the urge to bristle, his body tensing and a sneer creeping onto his face.

He also feels a flare of irritation at himselfhe'd been so wrapped up in begging the sky like a child that he'd let this powerful stranger  _(two_ strangers) see him in a weak and vulnerable state. Sentiment's putting him off his game.

 _(Norns, please,_ please, _don't have killed Thor. The Universe needs him too much._ I _need him too much.)_

"Feel like filling us in, Doctor? Your Highness?" the sorcerer asks in a dry tone.

Taking one more moment to gather himself internallyshoving thoughts of his brother far,  _far_ awayLoki nods. "Of course. I'm afraid it's rather simple: a titan obsessed with Death is on his way to Midgard so that he can collect all of the Infinity Stones and thus destroy half of the universe."

* * *

Loki is surprised by how much the sorcerer (Doctor Stephen Strange, apparently) and his companion _(Wong. Just Wong.)_ already know about Infinity Stones. But they know _nothing_ about Thanos, and Banner's information is very limited, so Loki explains the titan's history and his own impressions of the being.

He passes quickly over his time with Thanos, not wanting to talk about the excruciating, never-ending torture he experienced. Not wanting to talk about how eventually he knelt at the titan's feet because above all else Loki is a survivor. Not wanting to talk about how he endured being called _Boy_ and _Son_ and _My Child_ by a being he hated more than anything, a being who was so very far from  _fatherly._

Not wanting to talk about how he'd allowed himself to believeeven for just a few moments, so long agothat maybe Thanos and his two _'daughters'_ could be his new family; that maybe after being cast out by Odin, they were his second chance.  _(He'd been so_ very _wrong, and he'd_ known _that even as he thought of empty, meaningless second chances.)_

Loki wants to sneer at himself over that miserable weakness, even though it's so far in the past, and forces himself to focus on the present again.

Thanos is a serious threat _(gods, Thor, don't be dead)_ , and Loki is glad to see that none of them are making light of the situation. They've just started discussing what Thanos' plan might be when Loki realizes what the faint hum at the back of his mind isthere's an Infinity Stone nearby.

The prince closes his eyes and breathes deeply, searching out with his seidr.  _There._ He can feel the ancient magic swirling around the stone, the low buzz of  _time_ and old, _old_ world matter, the kind Loki imagines you would only ever sense at the beginning of everything. It pulses, its magic reaching out towards Loki's own, and the prince lets it guide him, lets it show him its power just like the Mind and Space stones had.

_The Time Stone._

Loki's heart speeds up. He could use it to go back to the ship, to save Thor and kill Thanos when the titan had to remain frozen. He just has to  _find_ the stone, and then he can save his brother, save  _all_ of his people.

Loki zeroes in on the gem, searching for a specific place, and finds _ah_. It seems that the Time Stone has found a master, the sorcerer who is wearing it in the amulet around his neck. Dr. Strange, apparently, has risen above his Midgardian magic and mastered an Infinity Stone.

The prince opens his eyes, letting out a slow breath, and finds Strange staring right back at him. There's a hint of a challenge in his eyes, but when the sorcerer speaks, his tone isn't boastful or goading but sure, quiet, even slightlydisgustingly _gentle_.

"I can't let you get your hands on this stone, Your Highness," Strange says, drawing the attention of Banner and Wong who had been discussing what effects Midgardian science might have against the stones. "Thor seemed like a good guy, but messing with time to that level of interference...I know you're powerful enough to wield it, but since your actions would be 100% driven by grief and love, there's a very good chance that you'd experience a moment of distraction, and that's all it would take to get stuck in a time loop."

Loki narrows his eyes. He's never been a fan of being denied what he wants. The sorcerer is powerful, but Loki is  _far_ more powerful and has been alive for just over a thousand yearsa fight against Strange would most likely be fun and maybe a challenge, but there was no contest about who would win.

"Loki," Banner sighs pleadingly, "You  _know_ he's right _please_ don't do anything stupid. We need to prepare for the fight that's coming, the one against _Thanos;_ we don't have time to be fighting each other."

The prince sneers, turning his cold gaze on the human form of the beast, and hates that the two Midgardians are right. His rage simmers right below the surface, the need to _destroy_ Thanos for daring to lay a hand on him, to lay a hand on _Thor._ He  _will_ get his vengeance, but Banner speaks the truththey cannot fight against each other, not now, not with everything riding on them.

"Fine," Loki says, regaining control of himself. The three others in the room relax a fraction. "Which of your heroes shall we contact first?"

* * *

Tony Stark is, understandably, very panicked when he sees Loki.

The panic quickly changes to anger and then the inventor moves into attack mode. Loki is prepared (honestly, this fight will be  _nothing)_ butshocking everyone in the roomBanner puts himself between his friend and Loki before Stark can take more than a step.

Stark's expression of shock is  _comical._ Loki's sure his own isn't much better.

Loki and Banner fought side by side against otherworldly creatures, helped to keep the Asgardian people thriving as they flew through space, and then did their best to get as many Asgardians to the escape pods as possible. Things like that tend to form certain kinds of bonds, _forged by fire_ kinds, and Loki won't shy away from accepting that. But Banner putting himself in harm's way to keep Tony Starka man he'd been friends with for _years_ from hurting Loki?

Not even slightly what the prince expected.

"Tony," Banner says urgently. "We don't have  _time_ for this, ok? Loki's an ally-" Stark snorts, "-no, Tones, he  _is._ He saved Thor's life, he saved  _my_ life, and _hell,_ he helped to save the entire population of Asgard! He came here with me and frankly we don't have time for you to be annoyed and distrustful, ok? We have a lot of shit to cover to get you up to speed."

Still glaring at Loki, Stark nods. "Fine," he grumbles, "but I'm not happy about it, you hear me, Merlin?"

Loki raises an eyebrow and inclines his head, a smile playing at his lips. "Oh yes, loud and clear."

Cutting Stark off before he can come up with a snappy retort, Banner pulls them back into a conversation, catching the inventor up on everything he needs to know.

Wong goes through the history of the Infinity Stones but Loki tunes it out; not only does he know all of that informationhas since he was a childbut they've just gone over it, and frankly Loki is tired of sitting still. He wants to form a plan, he wants to be  _doing_ something.

"So you were his errand boy, huh?" Stark taunts, drawing Loki's attention back to the conversation at hand. The prince narrows his eyes. "Came to destroy the Earth for your crazy boss?"

"Tony," Banner snaps, once against surprising Loki and everyone else. "Thanos tortured Loki for  _months,_ alright? I'm not saying the guy's an angel but his mind was really messed with before he agreed to invade Manhattan. Can we get back to the matter at hand, now?"

Stark's face scrunches up in annoyance, looking between Banner and Loki like he seriously doesn't understand something, which Loki considers a very _appropriate_ response seeing as he's feeling the same way.

And honestlyhow does Banner know all of that? Loki mentioned it very briefly when describing his history with Thanos, but Banner clearly did some extrapolating. The human beast isn't  _wrong,_ but still.

"Fine," Stark says for the second time. "What's our timeline?"

"Thanos now has the Power and Space Stones, which already makes him the strongest creature in the Universe," Loki tells him. "Because of the Tesseract he can travel millions upon millions of light-years in the blink of the eye, so any  _timeline_ you try to come up with could be unbelievably off. And once he gets his hands on the other four..."

"He can destroy life on a scale hither to undreamt of," Strange finishes, nodding, to whichof courseStark replies with a snarky comment. This then starts a conversation about why they will  _not_ be destroying the Time Stone  _(though, objectively speaking, it's not a bad idea)_ which somehow transitions into a conversation about some form of Midgardian food.

"Okay guys, can we table this discussion for now? The fact is that we have the stone. We know where it is. But Vision is out there somewhere with the Mind Stone, and we have to find him  _now,"_ Banner urges, looking to Stark, who suddenly looks very uncomfortable.

The inventor shares that this Vision (holder of the Mind Stone, apparently) has turned off his transponder _(some kind of tracker?)_ and they don't know where he is. Stark, still looking awkward and for some reason unable to fully meet Banner's gaze, then shares that the Captain could probably find Vision, but the Avengers have...

 _Oh._ Well, Thor and Loki have certainly missed a lot in their time away from Midgard, haven't they? Earth's Mightiest Heroes have split apart. Isn't that interesting. Isn't that completely and utterly  _useless._

That's when Loki feels it.

The air suddenly becomes charged, an entrance into the atmosphere that shouldn't be there, a craft forcing its way in. Loki sees Stark look up towards the hole in the ceiling and sees Strange tense.

Loki turns on his heels and begins striding towards the door.

"They're here," he shouts back to the heroes, speeding up as he pushes his way out of the building. He hears them following him. Stark and Wong begin reaching out to help pedestrians but Loki doesn't stop, following the traces of the familiar presences of the Black Order. He senses Strange going with him, the powerful magic both within the sorcerer and from the stone pulsing obviously.

The ship, when Loki sees it, is a familiar one, one of the many circular spacecrafts that Thanos has his minions use. The engine of it is spreading dust and debris, and helpfully Strange sends out a pulse, funneling all of it up and out so that their visibility is better.

The engine stops, and two of Thanos' children disembark. Loki knows themEbony Maw and Cull Obsidian.

When Loki fell into Thanos' grasp so long ago, he had met the titan's so-called _daughters_ Gamora and Nebula. The prince had found them intelligent and ruthless, the green one far more even-tempered than the blue. They had been rather easy to understandtheir motivations clear if not always simpleand relatively easy to get along with, since they all seemed to be in the same boat.

Of course, neither of them did anything while Loki was tortured  _over and over again,_ but really he didn't fault them that. He would've done the same if their positions were reversed.

Opposed to the easiness of Gamora and Nebula, The Black Order had always given him trouble. Ebony Maw had taken pleasure in ripping through his mind whenever he was given the slightest of reason. Cull Obsidian, a Hulk-like figure, had had no trouble smacking him around when Thanos was vaguely displeased. Proxima Midnight and Corvus Glaive were fierce duelers and quick to anger with those they didn't like, such as Loki.

Briefly, Loki wonders if one of them was the one to kill Thor. Old and new angers flood him.

Ebony Maw begins to speak as they descend. "Hear me, and rejoice. You are about to die at the hands of the Children of Thanos. Be thankful, that your meaningless lives are now contributing to-"

Stark interrupts, declaring that the  _Earth is closed,_ and Strange voices his agreement in less aggravating wording. Stark and Banner begin bickering about how the Hulk refuses to come out and so Loki sends a pulse like the one he used on the Statesman. But this time the Hulk doesn't react, Banner simply shudders under the magic before regaining control.

They continue their useless bickering.

Loki looks to Strangespecifically, to the Time Stone. There's a protective spell wrapped around it, one Loki can tell is tied to the sorcerer's life force.

"With no intent to offend," Loki says to Strange, keeping one eye on the approaching Cull Obsidian, "but is that spell of yours powerful enough to keep the stone from them?"

The look the sorcerer sends him in return conveys that he  _has_ taken some offense to the comment, but he says, "There's no way they're taking this stone from me without my permission, and I don't intend to give that any time soon."

Loki nods, satisfied, just as Stark calls forth his iron suit and blasts Cull Obsidian back. Ebony Maw flicks his fingers, sending his 'brother' crashing off to the side instead of into him, and then hurls Stark into the air with his power.

Then, Maw engages Loki.

Maw is powerful, Loki has to admit, and skilled with his power _(Loki has many memories of himself screaming as Ebony Maw digs into his mind without care or concern to the damage he does)_ but Loki has far more abilities and is just as skilled and powerful. Fighting him takes much of his concentration and fighting the pull of his telekinesis is challenging, but Loki manages just fine.

He sees Strange send Banner away, and Loki is surprised with himself when he feels a flash of relief that the human beast is out of harm's way. Stark flies over, taking a step back from where he'd been fighting Cull Obsidian, and looks to Strange.

"You gotta get that stone out of here."

Strange sets his jaw, and Loki can admire his strength of will as he ducks a hurtling car sent by Maw. "It stays with me."

"Exactly," Stark says, "bye!"

He blasts forward but instantly gets hit by Cull Obsidian, which sends him crashing towards the park. Strange hesitates for a moment, fighting against the urge to stand his ground and face their foes, but after a pointed look from Loki the sorcerer nods tightly and takes flying off.

Ebony Maw moves as if to go after him but Loki gets in his way, pulling up a strong shielding charm. Maw stops short, annoyance flashing across his face, and thrusts out a hand. Loki can feel the creature's power pushing against the transparent, green-glowing shield, but this is a spell Loki mastered ages and  _ages_ ago; it takes most of his concentration, but once again Loki manages.

Until _bam._

A piece of debris slams into Loki's head with painful force, making stars burst in his vision, his thoughts going sluggish. His control over his magic slips entirely and as his knees buckle he sees Ebony glide forward, a condescending smile on his lips. He lifts Loki into the air with his power until they're eye to eye and then grabs his chin in his long, boney fingers. The prince can feel blood dripping down the side of his face.

"You were a good tool," Maw tells him in a tone that clearly shows he thinks Loki should be grateful. "A broken one, but you served Thanos loyally. Until your utter  _failure,_ of course. You could serve him again, little prince. You'd need to be punished first, but our father is a forgiving force."

 _Forgiving._ Loki would laugh if his thoughts weren't moving so slowly. _"Your_ father," Loki corrects, and wants to laugh again, remembering when he'd said the same to Thor _(Norns, don't be dead)_ so long ago. "I am a son ofof Odin."

Maw's smile is condescending, but then again,  _everything_ about Ebony Maw is condescending. "You were born  _Laufeyson,_ little prince, and once a son of Thanos,  _always_ a son of Thanos. You would do well to remember who you are. Soon our father shall remind you."

Loki smiles, sharp and shark-like. "I've never much liked being told who I am by others. It never ends well for them."

Then he sends out a burst of wild magic, sending Ebony Maw flying away, forced back from him. Loki drops to the ground, landing hard on his knees, and coughs. He pushes himself to his feet, forcing his legs to lock so he doesn't drop again, and looks around.

He hears the fighting in the park, Stark against Cull Obsidian, and he sees a brief flash of blue and red that implies that someone else has joined the fight. Still no Hulk, which is going to present a real issue soon with everything that's coming. He can't see Ebony Maw, though, and Loki doesn't _exactly_ know where his magic shoved the creature off to.

Then suddenly that red and blue _person?_ thing rushes past him, swinging on something thin and white. Loki whirls around, tracking the being with his eyes, and sees that it's chasing after the unconscious form of Strange who's been taken by Maw.  _Damn. So that's where the creature got off to._

Without hesitation, Loki takes off after them, using his seidr to wrap the winds around himself to allow him the ability of soaring through the air.

Maw looks back over his shoulder and flicks his wrist, sending chunks of buildings flying at Loki. The prince manages to deflect most of them, but one of them strikes him right in the stomach. The air goes out of him in a  _woosh_ and once again he loses his concentration over his magic, sending him crashing back to the streets.

Loki groans, squeezing his eyes shut against the pounding in his head, and strains up against the giant mass pressing against his chest. It's gigantic and making breathing near impossible. He does his best to take a few deep breaths, trying to pull together enough control to shove the concrete block off of him, but he can't quite gather enough energy.

He lets out a yell of frustration, and fights off full-blooded panic.

"Loki!" the prince hears someone call, and looks around wildly. "Loki!" the person says again, and this time the Asgardian can identify the voice as Banner's.

"Over here!" Loki calls back, as loud as he can manage when he can't draw in a full breath. Banner must hear him anyway because there's the sound of quick footsteps against pavement and then the doctor's face appears in Loki's view, lips parted and eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"Are you alright?" Banner asks, eyes flicking over him rapidly.

"Just delightful," Loki replies dryly. "I do think I'd be a lot better without this  _thing_ keeping me pinned."

And then suddenly, the giant mass of concrete shifts and lifts right off of him, thrown far to the side.

Loki blinks, looking at Banner as if he could've immediately switched into the Hulk, but instead he sees Wong, the other sorcerer, eyes tracking the large stone as it crashes down some ways down the street. He glances Loki over for any serious injuries and then opens a portal.

"Where are you going?" Banner asks Wong as Loki pushes himself to his feet with a grunt.

Wong steps through the portal and looks back to them, his expression grave and set. "Time Stone's been taken. The Sanctum remains unguarded." He pauses. "What will you do?"

Loki looks to Banner, because without Thor  _(oh, Norns, please)_ on Midgard Loki actually has no allies and _quite_ a few enemies. Banner is the one who knows people, knows the ones that could help them.

The doctor looks back to him, holding his gaze almost helplessly, and then to the street. He stills, frozen for a moment, and then leans down, straightening with a cellphone in his handStark's cellphone.

"I'm...gonna make a call."

* * *

Colonel Rhodes, just like his friend Stark, is panicked when he sees Loki.

Also like before, Banner puts himself protectively in front of the prince, and Loki very much against his will feels touched.

Rhodes looks at the doctor like he's grown a second head and then accuses Loki of capturing Banner in a spell like the one he'd put Barton and Selvig under back during his invasion. Loki sneers, but Banner beats him to the explanation of why that couldn't be true.

"Loki controlled Clint with the Mind Stone, Rhodey, the thing that is currently in Vision's headhe'd have no way of taking over my mind. Besdies, he _wouldn't,"_ Banner insists, and if it were possible Rhodes' expression grows even more incredulous. Loki feels a little surprised, himself. "And we don't have  _time_ for this! Something bad is coming..."

By the time they're done explaining everything to Rhodes, Loki feels like he wants to record all the information and make some fliers that they can just hand out so they don't have to go over this again and again and  _again._ The colonel keeps sending him suspicious looks, but he only voices his objection to Loki's presence once more, and then backs off after Banner yells at him (actually _yells!_ Loki can't hide his surprise) and describes the good things the prince has done.

That's another thing Loki wants recorded, actually, so he can show it to anyone who doubts him.  _(And, he'll never admit publicly, he wants a reminder of someone other than Thor actually believing in him.)_

After hearing them out, Rhodes nods tiredly and opens his mouth to say something, but he's interrupted by the pinging of a computer. He purses his lips, eyebrows furrowing.

"We lost track of Vision," the colonel mutters. Loki and Banner exchange a look, both of them knowing  _exactly_ why the Stone Keeper has vanished, and who he's with. Rhodes frowns at them and then sighs. "I'm guessing you guys had something to do with that?"

"Vision has the Mind Stone, Rhodey," Banner says sternly, "we can't just leave him out in the open, Thanos'll be coming for him. You  _know_ what the right thing to do is, Rhodey, and you  _know_ Steve and the others aren't criminals. We have bigger problems than some stupid Accords."

Rhodes looks away, his expression frustrated, and then he nods, a tired smile slipping onto his face. "You're right. You are." His smile softens slightly. "It's good to have you back, Bruce."

Then the computer started pinging again, this time far more insistently, and the colonel's expression tenses. "That's Ross."

Banner's breath catches, his eyes widening. Loki feels something strangely protective surge in him and he straightens, eyes narrowed. Whatever this Ross person did to Banner, Loki isn't going to let him do it again.

"He's been our oversight since the Accords," Rhodes explains with an apologetic smile to Banner and a briefly confused expression to Loki. "Guys, go hide over there while I talk to him. I'll end this quickly, promise."

Loki follows the direction immediately, putting a hand briefly on Banner's shoulder to nudge him along. The doctor shakes himself from whatever had frozen him and quickly shuffles towards the small room off to the side Rhodes pointed them to.

Closing the door muffles the conversation, which Loki is thankful for; he doesn't much feel like listening to some mortal general ramble on about why he's right and everyone else is wrong. Plus being separated from the conversation seems to make Banner a little calmer, which is a bonus.

After a few moments of tense silence, Loki feels the need to say something.

"I wanted to...thank you," Loki says, looking away awkwardly. Out of the corner of his eyes the prince can see the doctor turn to look at him, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Loki clears his throat and resists shifting his weight; he's never been good at voicing his honest gratitude. "You...stood up for me, against your friends, when it would've been much easier to condemn me. So. I...I'd like to offer my thanks."

Banner blinks at him for a moment, clearly surprised, and then his lips quirk upward. "Was that hard for you to get out?"

Loki scowls. "I simply wished for you to know, Doctor Banner, that is all-"

"Bruce," the doctor says, interrupting. His smile has grown, happier and no longer teasing. "I think after everything, you can call me Bruce."

"I..." Loki flounders, honestly floored. That's an extension of familiarity, of  _friendship,_ and Loki had been very far from expecting it. Bruce Banner has shocked Loki time and time again, which is very hard to do. "...Very well," he gets out eventually, trying to shake the off-balance feeling, "Bruce, then."

 _Bruce_ looks at him for a moment and Loki can't quite decipher the meaning of it. Then the doctor shakes his head, and his smile is a little sad now. "You don't have many friends, do you?" Loki bristles, eyes narrowing, and Bruce follows it up with, "I mean you do have a tendency to do bad things, so, but still." He shrugs slightly, still smiling at the prince. "I'm glad you're here with me."

Once again, Loki flounders. He's on completely unfamiliar turf.

Bruce isn't wrong; in his life, there are probably only two people Loki could call his friends,  _actually_ his friends and not those who were nice to him because of Thor  _(Damn you, Thor, where are you?)_. Sigyn had been his first friend, a lady on Asgard who'd been so intelligent and very kind, and Lorelei his second, another lady who had a clever tongue and a wicked control over magic.

They're both dead now, Loki knows.  _(Maybe_ _Lorelei_ _somehow...no, wishful thinking, don’t delude yourself.)_ He tries not to think about that for too long.

"It should be Thor," Loki blurts out before he can stop himself. Bruce looks startled. Loki bites his lip and looks away, frowning.

"What do you mean?" the doctor asks hesitantly.

He should stop there. He would've, in the past. Loki's  _never_ been one to freely share his emotions or thoughts, much to his mother's  _(Frigga)_ life-long chagrin. He's always built his walls up high and wrapped them around himself in a perfect shield, and been happy that way. He still is. But he's terrified that his brother is dead, the only family he has, and he doesn't understand why he's on Midgard and Thor is not.

"Thor should be the one here, not me," Loki says quietly, still not looking at Bruce. "I do not understand why Heimdall saved me with you, and not our king. Thor is...Thor should be the one here, preparing to fight Thanos. Not me."

Bruce draws in and then lets out a slow breath. He seems to be debating something, and then he tells Loki, "They made an agreement. Uh, Thor and Heimdall, I mean. They didn't want to watch you die again, Loki, so they agreed that if there was anything either of them could do to save you, they would. And I don't think Heimdall could gather that much power, to send too many people. And you're not exactly helpless, Loki; you are _powerful,_ and are gonna be a serious threat against Thanos."

"They-" Loki begins incredulously, _angrily,_ but then draws in a shuddering breath and closes his eyes.

 _I hate you, Heimdall, you utter moron; why would you agree to that? You_ know _Thor will always be more important than me._ And Thor...he's lost his brother because the king decided that he couldn't watch Loki die again. Touching, maybe, but utterly, utterly _wrong._

Outside, more voices join Rhodes' and the general's, ones Loki vaguely recognizes from the invasion five years previous. The Captain, and the Widow. And a few unfamiliar ones.

He can feel the pulse of the Mind Stone, too, familiar and strong. It calls to him, recognizing a former master, but it is not his anymore. It is bonded to an entire nother being. _Vision,_ Loki remembers. He can feel Vision himself as well, feel that there's a wound, feel the mind behind the stone and the otherworldly creation he is. And next to him...there's someone else, an echo of the stone in them.

Bruce's eyes widen at the voices, hopeful and longing, and Loki realizes that the doctor hasn't seen his companions in just about three years. He must have missed them, and vice versa. Loki doubts his own reception will be as welcoming.

The prince opens the door with a small flick of his fingers, nudging it with his magic. Bruce looks to him and smiles, a touch sad, and walks forward.

"...must have been a rough couple years," Rhodes is saying.

"Yea, well, the hotels weren't exactly five-star," one of the unfamiliar voices says wryly, male and friendly. 

"I think you look great," Bruce says, stepping into the main room. There's a dead silence. They're all shocked, Loki supposes; well, barring the captain. "Yea. I'm back."

"Hi, Bruce," the Widow says softly, and there's a touch of  _fondness_ in her voice that has Loki raising his eyebrows;  _that's_ a surprising pairing. Loki had fully been expecting her and Barton to have moved past their barriers and ended up together.

"Nat," Bruce replies, his own hint of fondness there. A little sad, too. A lot about Bruce is sad, Loki finds.

"This is awkward," someone mutters after a brief silence, and Loki has to agree.

"Where's your, uh, _friend,_ Bruce?" the Captain asks. He just sounds tired, not angry or hostile, which Loki counts as a win; even though Bruce had explained the situation over the phone, the prince hadn't been sure that Rogers would actually accept it and not just immediately go for the attack.

"Friend?" Romanov asks, sounding slightly put out at having been denied so much information. Loki can sympathize, but he doesn't find it surprising that the Captain kept a majority of it to himself; it was the smart play, until they could all be in one room and discuss what was going on.

"...Yea," Bruce says awkwardly. "So I'd like you not to attack him, Nat, because he's here as an ally, and he's saved my life multiple times. He wants to take these guys down just as badly as we do. I  _trust him,_ ok? I trust him, so please trust me."

Once again, Bruce Banner has managed to catch Loki completely by surprise.  _I trust him._ Not a phrase often directed towards Loki. It is...an incredible feeling. And a very odd one. Almost...heavy.

"...Alright," the Widow says cautiously. "Is this person going to be joining us any time soon?"

Loki takes that as his cue and strides forward into the main room, his hands folded behind his back as he looks over the gathered heroes, prepared for any attack. Looking them over is almost startling, actually.

Captain Rogers, once clean cut and sharp, has longer brown hair and a grown beard, the color a few shades darker than his military-cropped blond from six years ago. His outfit is darker, as well, the star on his chest barely outlined, and his shield is completely absent. He seems  _older,_ as well, like many great weights have been placed on his shoulders. _'Rough few years' indeed._

Opposed to the captain's drastic change, Romanov seems barely any different. Her bright red hair is now platinum blonde, sure, but her demeanor and the way she carries herself is almost exactly the same as Loki remembers.

When Rogers looks at him, it is assessing and cautious, but there are no  _aggressive_ emotions. The man has grown, Loki can tell; not for better or for worse, necessarilyhe's just been through too much to hold onto past angers. Bruce has said he trusts the prince, and that is going to be enough for the Captain.

It has to be, with everything going on. Rogers can't afford to have a divided mind.

Behind the two he knows are three he doesn't.

There's a thin black man, goggles of a sort on his face and an odd metal box on his back. There's a woman with long red-brown hair and sharp eyesshe has the Mind Stone's magic inside her, the echo Loki felt before. It's... _fascinating,_ actually. She doesn't possess the stone, and yet she holds some of its magic, she wields it and control it. It is  _hers._ Loki's never seen anything like that.

The last person, leaning heavily on the woman _(injured, I knew it),_ is the one Loki knows has to be the Vision.

The yellow Mind Stone is shining brightly in the middle of his purple forehead and Loki can  _feel_ it so strongly, pulsing and calling to him. He wielded that stone once, even had it used on him, and it knows him. It knows his mind, and he knows its power. But the life force tied to it...Loki won't dare reach back to it; the Mind Stone is where it's supposed to be, and he won't mess with it.

"What. The hell," the Widow says quietly. Loki smiles tightly. She's looking at him, wary and ready to attack, but the prince knows she's talk to Bruce.

"Loki and I ended up on the same planet a little bit ago," Bruce begins.  _Interesting,_ Loki thinks; _He's giving a more thorough explanation to Romanov._ "It was a...strange place. Dangerous. We escaped together, along with Thor and this other Asgardian-" his expression briefly twitches with concern, and Loki shares it; Valkyrie is an incredible warrior and woman, and he hopes she got away with the others in the pod. "-And he basically saved the entire population of Asgard. He saved Thor's life, too, and mine, and he took down a crazy powerful villain. So, yea, I trust him, Natasha, and he's here as an  _ally."_

That...might be a bit of an exaggeration. Loki  _did_ do all of those things, technically, but he didn't do them  _alone._ Not really. But the praise...well, it makes Loki feel warm inside. He does his best to keep it from showing.

The Widow's expression loses some of its  _'I want to Attack You'_ quality, relaxing slightly to be more assessing. Still not anywhere close to friendlyand she is nowhere  _near_ as relaxed as Bruce or even Rogersbut Loki will still count it as a win.

"Fine," she says after some length, which prompts the woman behind her to ask, "Who is this?" Her accent is not one Loki recognizes, but then again there's a lot the prince doesn't know about Midgard, so it's not exactly surprising.

"Loki," Vision says evenly, drawing everyone's attention. Everyone looks vaguely surprised, seeing as they've never met, and the Stone Keeper smiles tiredly.  _Injured,_ Loki knows. _Badly._ He can feel it. "He had the Mind Stone, once upon a time," Vision explains to the questioning looks, holding Loki's gaze in place. "It is a part of me, and I recognize its former master." He pauses, examining the prince. "Can you feel me, too?"

 _Like a string is connecting my mind to yours,_ Loki thinks, the same way he can faintly feel Thanos, currently in possession of the Space Stone.

"Yes," he says, meeting Vision's gaze. "It is..." he licks his lips, "...odd. You are hurt. I know it without seeing you. And worried." His eyes flick to the woman holding the Stone Keeper upright. "And I feel her. Fainter, like an echo, but she has the stone's magic inside her."

"Wait a minute," the Captain pipes up, sounding vaguely alarmed. "You're still connected to the stone? Can you take it over?"

Simultaneously, Vision and Loki shake their heads. Loki allows Vision to be the one to answer, seeing as the group is more likely to trust what comes out of their friend's mouth than the ex-enemy's.

"Infinity Stones are ancient, powerful things, Steven. When someone wields it, they are forever changed, and forever connected. The Mind Stone is a part of me, which means it no longer answers to Loki, but that does not negate the fact that he was its Keeper for a while. The Stone does not forget, and thus neither do I." He pauses, looking contemplative. "Each stone has its own power, which means each stone leaves its own impression on the past Keepers' minds." He tilts his head and examines Loki curiously. "What has it left in yours, Loki?"

 _I constantly feel the tingle of minds around me. I feel_ you, _sense your mind and feelings and pains. I could close my eyes and find that stone a million miles away. I feel it pulling me simultaneously as it tells me it is no longer mine. It is a connection to something other than myself that I don't particularly like. It makes me feel accountable. To you, to the woman by your side, to that thing in your head powering you both. The captain is worried that I'll influence you somehow, but I think it's rather the other way around. I hate you for that._

Loki shrugs languidly, glancing around in disinterest. "Just some vague feelings, not much."

His mind does not belong to this group of mortals. But if he projects the truth just a little, just enough for Vision to hear it...well, it's not like the being is going to reveal him. Loki's pretty sure at least.

Sure enough, Vision smiles at him, clearly knowing, but doesn't say anything about it to his companions.

"Alright, well," Rogers says slowly, glancing between Loki and Vision like he knows he's missing something, "Bruce, Lokitime to tell us everything."

* * *

So they go through it for the fourth time. By this point Loki can see that Bruce seems just as impatient and frustrated with the constant repetition as the prince is, which is at least slightly gratifying. To their credit, the surrounding mortals seem to take all of it in stride.

Loki learns that Barton has removed himself from the action, that the Avengers really  _are_ completely scattered. Loki doesn't pay much attention to that talk, though, because past the annoyance that it makes it more difficult for them to all band together, he doesn't much care about Antman or Spiderman or even Falcon, the man with wings that seems to stick very close to Rogers' side. Vision and the witch, on the other hand...

He shakes the thoughts away as the conversation turns back to Thanos and the invasion that is sure to come.

"He won't stop until he gets that gem," Loki says, nodding towards Vision's forehead. "He stole the Power Stone last week from the Nova Corps, decimating a planet in the process; he took the Space Stone from me, after slaughtering half of my people; Ebony Maw took Dr. Strange to be tortured, which makes it very possible that Thanos has the Time Stone; the Reality Stone is hidden at a place called Knowhere, which will most definitely be Thanos' next stop; no one knows where the Soul Stone is, so as soon as he has the Aether, he'll be on his way here with the full force of the armies at his disposal to get the Mind Stone."

"Then we have to protect it," the witch says firmly. _Romantic entanglement,_ Loki realizes; he wonders if they're aware that part of that strong bond they share comes from the fact that Vision partially  _is_ the Mind Stone, and her mystical powers come from it. Maybe they do know, but they've moved past it to become _more_ together. Love is love, and all that.

"No, we have to destroy it," Vision murmurs. Loki's pulse jumps. The witch gets to her feet. "I've been giving a good deal of thought to this entity in my head, about its nature. But also its _composition._ I think if it were exposed to a sufficiently powerful energy source, something very similar to its own signature, perhaps..." he presses his lips together briefly. "Its molecular integrity could fail."

"And you with it!" The witch shoots back, her voice raising slightly. "We're not having this conversation."

Loki understands Vision's point of view, in a distorted kind of way; when part of your very being is a stone that connects youhowever little an amountto the minds of everyone on the planet, it must be hard to feel anything but a need to do what you must to save their lives. Seven billion people, and Vision thinks he has the perfect solution to save them. And he might have a point.

But there were so many ways it could go wrong, too. Such as the energy backfiring and killing everyone within a twenty mile radius.

The conversation continues, Vision attempting to convince them and Rogers saying that they _don't trade lives,_ describing the difference between his sacrifice more than seventy years ago and the situation now.

"You're not just the stone," Loki murmurs. It's more a comment to himself, thinking out loud, but everyone turns to look at him, a few pairs of eyebrows raising expectantly. Loki licks his lips and glances over at Bruce, who's smiling in a way that clearly conveys  _Yes! Someone gets it!_

That expression, strangely enough, gives Loki a bit of confidence.

"The stone is a part of you," Loki continues, slightly louder, meeting Vision's intense gaze. "Looking at the way energy flows through youwell, it's incredible. Especially the Mind Stone...ah, that's a conversation for another day. But the energy inside of you is  _not_ just the Mind Stone. I don't know how you came into beingobviously I was not here for itbut I know you are not just an extension of the stone. There are other pieces that have made you what you are, other energies. Losing the Mind Stone will affect you _deeply,_ but it will  _not_ erase who you are or kill you."

"Exactly," Bruce says, nodding. He steps forward. "Vision, your mind is made up of a complex construct of overlays. JARVIS, Ultron, Tony, me, the stone. All of them mixed together. All of them _learning_ from one another."

"So what are you guys getting at?" Rogers asks, looking between Loki and Bruce calmly, waiting for answers.

"If we take out the stone, there will still be a large amount of Vision left," Loki says, gesturing vaguely towards the Stone Keeper.

"Perhaps even the best parts," Bruce offers.

"Can we do that?" Rogers asks, and for the first time since arriving Loki can see there's a glint of something like  _hope,_ or maybe just a certain kind of strength now that he sees a course of action, a possible way to win.

The captain has been truly lost these last few years, Loki realizes; purposeless, hiding and running and simply trying to do his best to keep his friends alive. And now he has something he can really  _do,_ a game plan, a fight to fight.

"Not me," Bruce says, shaking his head. "Not here."

Rogers looks to Loki. "How about you?"

Loki hesitates, unsure, and then walks over to where Vision and the witch are standing. He holds his hand out and stops, looking to Vision. "May I?" he murmurs. Vision nods without hesitating, which feels oddly good inside to the prince, and then Loki extends his hand, placing his palm against Vision's forehead and letting his eyes slide shut.

As soon as he touches the Mind Stone he gasps, feeling the unique energy flood into him, filling into the spaces it used to exist. The energy is _intoxicating,_ and it takes every bit of control Loki has to push the energy back from filling his mind, putting up walls in the way he'd learned when he was very young to keep telepaths and the like out. He can feel Vision, helping, actually; doing his best to not connect to Loki's mind  _(Past Stone Keeper, so close, so close)_ through the stone.

Once he's completely in control again, Loki reaches out with his senses and follow the flow of energy inside of Vision, feeling the way all the different kinds separate and come together and shift and change and  _learn_ from each other, just like Bruce said. Loki examines how the Mind Stone interacts with the rest of Vision's being, and grimaces; this is...complex.

After a few more minutes, Loki slowly draws away, opening his eyes. The look in Vision's eyes, directly in front of the prince, clearly conveys that he knows Loki isn't about to solve all their problems.

"Theoretically," Loki says to no one in particular, stepping back away from Vision, "I could do it by myself. But this is intricate work, old world matter and magic. It would take me time to separate the Mind Stone from the rest of him, to keep him _whole,_ especially when I'd have to use some concentration simply on blocking out my _own_ connection to the stone. With your Midgardian science you might have another path to solving this issue, which I could aid in, but solely magically..." He shakes his head. "I would need at the very _least_ a day, and we do not have that kind of time."

"Then we better find somewhere fast," Rhodes sighs, glancing around at the gathered heroes. "Ross isn't just gonna let you guys have your old rooms back."

The captain purses his lips momentarily and then nods in a decisive, but slightly reluctant manner. "I know somewhere."

* * *

Loki can't help but be slightly excited as they fly towards the country of Wakanda.

He shouldn't be; he knows that it will simply be introducing more people to look at him warily, look at him ready to attack, and this time one of them will be the head of a sovereign nation. He knows that he is going to be stepping foot in a land that could trap him within its borders, that he is seriously putting his life on the line more than he already has.

But Barton, so long ago, told him about the properties of Wakanda's metal, and he's seen the captain's shield work himselfthe academic side of Loki is brimming with curiosity.

Of course,  _now_ is not the time for him to be asking questions, but he's going to get to see a lot of it, and maybe after this entire mess they'll let him make a few inquiries. Not the important thing at the moment, but Loki feels that if he focuses on something in the future he'll be less likely to not give a single Hel if he makes it out of this alive.

Because that feeling? Well. It's sorely tempting.

He can feel them watching him on the ride, but it doesn't much matter. They can stare all they like, can question his motives or loyalties or _whatever_ to their hearts' content, but it doesn't change the simple fact that Loki is here, and on their side, and will do whatever it takes to defeat Thanos.

Bruce is sitting next to him, his body a tight coil, and Loki barely keeps himself from snapping at the man to relax; the palpable anxiety coming off of him is seeping into Loki, and he has enough of his  _own_ worrieshe doesn't need the human beast's as well.

Or, for that matter, the witch's.

He can feel her, not as strongly as the Vision but a presence nonetheless, and her concern is very clear, and all centered around one thing: Vision. She is holding him like he's the only thing she has left in the world, her jaw set in determination, and Loki feels a twinge in his chest; he knows the feeling well.

"Why are you here?" someone asks.

Loki looks up, meeting the shrewd gaze of Natasha Romanov. The others look over, waiting for the response to her question.

"I would think," Loki says flatly, "that I've already made my position clear."

Romanov shrugs slightly, not breaking her intense eye contact. "You want revenge against Thanos for all that he did to you. Revenge for killing Thor." Loki suppresses a flinch. "But in the past you, yourself, have attempted to kill your brother, so I don't see how that's a motivator."

"Yes, and your dear Barton has tried to kill  _his_ brother but he would still be  _very_ much upset if Charles were to be murdered," Loki snaps, irritated with this line of questioning.

The entire groupminus the Widowseems surprised by his knowledge, but they shouldn't be; Barton's mind was  _his_ for a while, completely and utterly, and so he knew all of the archer's secrets.

"The two situations are very different, as I'm sure you know," Romanov replies calmly, not bothered by his snappish response. "So what changed for you? You tried to kill him, and now you're going against an extremely powerful being in order to avenge his death."

Loki purses his lips, resisting the urge to yell back that it is honestly none of her business. Resisting the urge to tell her that no matter what, no matter _when,_ Loki would have _always_ sought out the one to kill his brother and seek justice, seek revenge.

Instead he says, "Well, I suppose you could say that somewhere between my mother being murdered and my people being slaughtered, I gained a little  _perspective."_

The Widow watches him for another moment before she inclines her head, accepting that answer.

As if on cue, Colonel Rhodes pops his head out of the cockpit, glancing them over. "We're approaching, guys."

Everyone gets to their feet, Loki included. He rolls his shoulders and his neck, preparing for another round of people protesting against his presence.

As is, he really shouldn't've been overly concerned; the king of Wakanda and his female warriorswho make him think of the order of Valkyrie, which then makes him think of Vallook at him warily, assessing, but they don't complain about him being there and they don't try to shut him out of discussions.

Loki follows the group as they enter a young girl's laboratory; apparently the princess is the high-mage of this nation, and Loki can't help but think that his mother would've been deeply pleased to see such a thing.

The princess looks him over when he enters her space, her gaze critical, and then she nods as if coming to a big decision and calls out, "Loki, yes? You know the stone better than anyone, do you not?"

Everyone in the room looks to Loki for his answer. Cautiously, Loki says, "Most likely, yes; I've both wielded it and had it used on me, each for long periods of time. I am very familiar with its workings and composition."

The princess nods again, sharp and decisive. "Good. I'm Shuri, and I'll require your assistance. Come here."

After a brief moment of surprise, Loki does as he's told, striding quietly over to her side. At her prompting he begins listing out every single detail he knows about the stone; always better to have too much information than too little, he thinks, and the princess seems to agree.

A few feet away the witch is pacing, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, her brow furrowed in concern. Her eyes keep darting over to where Shuri, Loki, and Bruce are talking and examining both the stone in Vision's head and a glowing 3D model above him. She's clinging onto their actions desperately, Loki knows; their success is the only thing she can possibly imagine.

Any other outcome means she loses everything.

They begin to work, and Loki is surprised at how intuitive Shuri is. The princess reacts instantly to the minutest of his motions, responding correctly to any adjustments he needs. And, in turn, he reacts just as quickly; when he was younger, Eir used to say that he was an excellent aid to her when operating because he always picked up on what she needed and instantly reacted. Eir would've loved Shuri, Loki knows.

They're a good team, and Loki is starting to push his belief that this won't work to the back of his mind. This will take a while, but it's starting to seem  _possible._

That is, until Loki feels the change in the air.

"They're here," he declares to the room, making its occupants freeze. He looks to the witch. "We need to go."

She straightens, her jaw set in determination. "I am not leaving."

"Wanda-" the Vision begins, sighing.

"No," she snaps back, and then turns to look at Loki. She holds his gaze evenly, and when she speaks her voice is sure. "I am not leaving his side. The _moment_ Shuri removes the Mind Stone, I need to be on hand to instantly destroy it."

Loki knows that that isn't the main reason the witch is refusing to leave, and the witch knows it, and both Vision and Shuri know it, but a good secondary reason was presented, and thus none of them can really argue.

Loki sighs heavily through his nose, and then nods sharply. "Alright, but the  _moment_ you're free, we will need you out there."

Strengthened by his acceptance, the witch gives him a slight, grim smile. She offers him her hand. "Wanda Maximoff. Oddly enough, it has been a pleasure to meet you, Loki."

After a moment of surprise, Loki reaches forward as well, clasping her forearm. "You as well, witchling. I hope to see you on the battlefield."

Then he quickly teleports away, taking himself outside and to the front lines where his allies are standing, watching the ships approach. Some of the Wakandan warriors jump when he suddenly appears in front of them, and both Rogers and the man with the metal arm go rigid, but Romanov and the female general don't even flinch.

"Clever technology," Loki comments, looking up at the purple shield around the country. The alien ships above them are trying to force their way through to little success. "Truly brilliant. Remind me to inquire about vibranium if we all survive this."

A large amount of the people around him give him incredulous looks, but the king and the metal-armed man both snort, vaguely amused. Loki smirks back.

"This is taking too long," Loki mutters, rolling his shoulders impatiently. Nothing is  _happening,_ they're just  _waiting._ Which, alright, the plan is to buy Shuri time, but Loki's had enough of waiting for things to happen, had enough of talking and planning and maneuvering. Somewhere out there is the remaining members of the Black Order. Somewhere out there is  _Thanos._

Loki is done waiting.

He begins striding forward, ignoring the warning calls of his allies, and heads for the barrier. He sees Proxima Midnight and Cull Obsidian approaching from the other side and bares his teeth in a vicious smile as he reaches it, facing the pair.

Behind him, Loki notes that he's been followed, and three of his allies stand just to the side. Proxima Midnight glances at them briefly before zeroing in on Loki. Cull Obsidian does nothing but stare.

"Little prince," Proxima Midnight says in her familiar, vibrating voice, "you appear to be on the wrong side."

"No, I don't believe so," Loki replies smoothly, his grin sharpening further, "I am quite looking forward to seeing you dead, after all."

Midnight chuckles, deep in her throat. "Our father will take great pleasure in fixing your mind, little prince. We did have oh so much fun torturing you before you bowed to his will. You shall bow again."

Loki shakes his head. "Oh no, I shall  _not._ I'm not who I was before, Proxima, and your ilk will never touch my mind or being again. I will set your still body at  _your_ father's feet and then I will end him as well!"

Proxima Midnight snarls at him and then brandishes her sword. The ships behind her start to raise their outer hulls, allowing the beings inside to start pouring out.

A hand lands on Loki's shoulder and he tenses automatically, a dagger slipping instinctively into his hand. He dismisses the weapon when he realizes that it's the king, and turns to look at him.

The king eyes his hand briefly, likely curious about how a knife magically appeared and then disappeared, but he raises his gaze to meet Loki's. "Come," he says gently, not a command. "We must return to our people and prepare."

Loki clenches his jaw, not liking that he's being told what to do, but he turns to walk back with the three.

Both Rogers and Romanov, the two others who followed him, keep glancing at him as they move, and finally Loki snaps, "What?" at them. The king continues walking calmly, his head turned forward.

"Did they torture you?" Rogers asks firmly, examining his expression.

Loki sneers, staring forward like the king. "Thanos isn't exactly a  _loving_ figure to be around, and his so-called _children_ very much enjoy causing pain at their father's command." He smiles bitterly. "I did not wish to bow to him, and thus he allowed them all to  _play._ It was not a pleasant year."

Rogers doesn't get a chance to reply as they reach the rows of their people again, the metal-armed man sardonically asking, "Did they surrender?"

"Norns," Loki breathes, staring at the barrier as Thanos' foot soldiers throw themselves at it. "They're trying to force their way through."

"They're  _killing_ themselves!" the female general comments, horrified at the sight.

"They're going to start getting in," Loki says, looking along the length of the barrier. "We need to cut them off at the source."

He teleports himself into one of the ships and immediately gets to work, making his way through the creatures like they're made of paper. There's hundreds of them on all these ships,  _thousands,_ and Loki does his best to take as many out as he can before they find a way to break the force field.

Also, the faster Loki takes out the army, the faster Thanos will arrive.

 _Loki can you hear me?_ A familiar, accented voice asks inside his mind, startling Loki enough that three of the creatures manage to pin him against a wall. He heaves out a breath and then forces his way free with a blast of wild magic.

 _How the Hel are you speaking to me right now, Wanda?_ Loki demands through the mental link, throwing himself back into the fray and slashing at the creatures.

_Time for that later, they wanted me to tell youThey're going to open part of the barrier and let the aliens in so that they don't circle around._

Loki blinks. That's not a bad plan, really, though it's definitely high risk. It means commencing the war (not that Loki hasn't already, of course) and advancing the threat level. Still, it's better than letting them wrap around.

The most surprising thing, however, is that they reached out to Wanda to get in contact with  _him_ and let him know about the giant shift that was about to take place.

 _They asked you to inform me?_ Loki asks, needing clarification. Another creature goes down.

There's a brief pause, and then Wanda says,  _They can see the destruction you are wrecking through the ships, and they knew it likely that opening the barrier would affect your standing. They wish you to be able to stay safe._

Loki has absolutely zero response to that.  _Thank you,_ he forces instead of the many questions he has.  _And...thank them for me as well._

He can feel the moment they open the barrier. The creatures suddenly start moving with more purpose, flooding downward instead of just at Loki. Scowling, the prince teleports back outside and smack dab in the middle of a giant battle.

With a feral growl, he throws himself back into the fight.

Some ways down the field, Loki sees Cull Obsidian giving many of the warriors trouble. Loki narrows his eyes and, with great satisfaction, gathers electrical energy in his hand and sends it flying in one giant ark.

When Cull Obsidian is cut cleanly in half, instantly dead, Loki can do nothing but grin.

"One down," he purrs.

The female general, a few feet away from him, looks at him incredulously. Loki waits for a scathing comment about excessive actions or an insult about relying on magic. Instead she says, "How many more of those do you have up your sleeve?"

Loki barks a laugh in reply, smiling crookedly. "Now as many as I'd like, I'm afraid. Takes quite a lot of power."

And it's true; that spellthough simpletakes an extreme amount of energy, and Loki's been using so much of his seidr already. Tiredness is beginning to seep into his bones, not that that's going to come close to stopping himThanos has not yet arrived, and Loki needs to remain at the top of his game until then.

And then the unimaginable happens.

The rainbow bridge opens.

And Thor is alive.

"You guys are so screwed now!" Loki hears Bruce shout from somewhere, laughing.

Loki's relief is like nothing he's ever felt before. His mother was killed, his only friends were killed, his home was burned to ashes, his people were slaughtered, and he's been so utterly _terrified_ that Thor was gone, too, that he was officially completely alone, that he'd never get to see his brother ever again.

And yet there Thor is, powerful and dangerous and angry and  _alive_ and sporting a new axe as a replacement for Mjolnir that can apparently control the Bifrost. Loki's relief is the biggest feeling he's ever had, and he feels energy flood through him as his brother screams, "BRING ME THANOS!"

The battle rages on. Loki cuts a path to Thor, taking down every sorry soul that gets in his way. Thor spots him when he's close, a wide grin breaking out on his ridiculous face, and Loki hastily pulls up a small but strong force field around the two of them.

Thor looks at him, confused, but Loki doesn't give him a chance to question. He throws his arms around his brother, holding him tightly. After a brief, surprised moment, Thor hugs him back, holding him so tightly that the breath is forced from his lungs.

"I thought you dead," Loki says, his voice cracking. "You complete and utter  _moron._ What kind of decision was that? To send me away? It should've been you!"

Thor pulls back slightly, meeting his eyes with a steady gaze and cupping his neck like he used to. "I have watched you die too many times, brother," he says solemnly, "it might've been selfish to save you, but I would do it again without hesitation. And now we are both here, and we will take him down  _together."_ He grins fiercely, and Loki notices what's different.

"Oh Norns, what is that monstrosity in your eye socket?" Loki asks, aghast, causing Thor to laugh loudly.

"Uh, guys?" someone hedges, drawing their attention to just outside the force field Loki had called into being.

Captain Rogers has his attention divided between glancing at them and keeping an eye on the surrounding battle. "Not that this isn't an important moment for you guys, because I get that it is, but we could use you both in the fight."

Loki instantly drops the shield, and the pair of brothers immediately reenter the fray, just in time to jump out of the way of a giant spinning machine.

"Thrashers," Loki mutters with a scowl. "I've always fucking  _hated_ the Thrashers."

Thor laughs, and despite the situation around them, Loki grins back.

"Fall back!" The king shouts to his people, his eyes fixed on the new problem. "Fall back now!"

Suddenly, one of the Thrashers lifts into the air and then flies into a section of the creatures, red magic around it.

"Oh, Wanda, you beauty," Loki breathes, seeing the witch entering the battle. He wonders what made her decide to leave Vision's side, seeing as there _definitely_ would have been an announcement if they'd successfully removed and destroyed the Mind Stone.

The battle continues, and with every destructive strike of lightning Loki can feel part of his burden loosening, can feel his body relaxing. He's been in so many battles fighting side-by-side with Thor, that this is almost second nature. The stakes are raised to the nth degree, and Loki has a large personal investment in the outcome, but at its core he's doing what he's always done.

Except this time, Thor actually sees him as an equal. The satisfaction that brings isn't enough to wipe out years upon  _years_ of jealousy and bitterness, but he allows himself to enjoy it for a moment.

And then Loki feels it.

When Loki first met Vision  _(less than a day ago, but it felt like a lifetime),_ he described how he could close his eyes and find the Mind Stoneand Vision, its Keeperanywhere across the universe, its call and feeling was so strong. The same thing could be said of the Space Stone, of which he was also once the master. He might no longer wield it, but his strong connection still exists.

So when the Space Stone opens a portal and lands on Midgard, Loki feels it. He knows the instant it arrives and the calm he's started to feel instantly vanishes. Thanos is  _here._

And Loki has an idea. An idea that...will most likely not work. An idea that might just draw Thanos' attention to him and get him killed, along with everyone around him.

But if it  _works?_

Loki glances around wildly. "Thor!" he shouts over the roar of battle. His brother is high in the sky, striking down their enemies with his storms, but he immediately flies back down to the ground, standing by Loki's side.

"What do you need?" he asks, his expression set and ready for whatever Loki asks.

"I have an idea," Loki rushes, "I might be able to take away some of Thanos' power. But to do it I need to be very still, my eyes closed, completely out of tune with the battle. Which means I, for lack of a better term, need a  _guard."_ He pauses, taking a deep breath. "I think I can do this, Thor, but I-"

Thor clasps a hand on Loki's shoulder and smiles, his expression showing nothing but complete faith. "Of course you can. And I will be here to keep foes from harming you." He looks around the battle field, eyes squinted, and then calls, "Metal-armed man!"

Sure enough, their nearest ally in the fight is the man Loki met when arriving in Wakanda, the one that seemed to be an old friend of Rogers. He frowns in confusion at Thor but makes his way over, successfully cutting a swath through the enemy.

"What's up?" he asks gruffly, glancing at Loki with a wary eye before focusing on Thor, ready for instruction.

"My brother has an idea. We will defend him while he attempts to save everyone," Thor says, his tone brokering no argument.

The man blinks at him, glances at Loki again, and then shrugs. "Sure, what the hell, not like anyone else is coming up with any bright ideas. I got your back, your highnesses." He salutes them both sloppily, his jaw setting as he turns to face the enemy.

Thor squeezes his shoulder again, giving Loki a reassuring smile. Loki wonders what his expression is likedoes he look afraid? He feels afraid. He doesn't know if this will work or kill everyone around him or leave him a mindless husk.

"It will all be fine," Thor says firmly, holding Loki's gaze like it's the most important thing. "I don't know what you're going to do, but I  _know_ without a shadow of a doubt that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to, Loki.  _You can do this._ I have your back." He smiles crookedly, glancing at the sky. "And look, you were rightthe sun  _is_ shining on us again, brother."

Loki smiles back, his far grimmer than Thor's. "See you on the other side, then, brother."

Loki sits down cross-legged, closing his eyes, and takes a deep breath. He calms his body, ignoring the sounds of fighting around them, and tunes everything out until it's just him, his magic, and the Space Stone.

_Hello, you._

The Universe floods his mind, the countless places the Space Stone would grant him access to. He sees where it's been; sees the broken group of heroes on Titan, sees the cliffs of a place he doesn't know, sees the wreck of Knowhere with the Collector's limp body, sees the decimated ship that used to house the remains of Asgard. He sees the path Thanos has wrecked across the universe, and the path he has yet to destroy.

And the Space Stone sees him, too.

His connection to the stone strengthens as it pulses nearby, and Loki allows it to grow, to solidify, because if he tries what he's going to try before it's strong, then this will just have been a useless exercise.

 _You're mine,_ he tells it, and when it whispers the same words in return he feels his concentration waver, a moment of reality seeping in before he regains control.

He should've considered this possibility. When he realized that he could theoretically use his connection to the Space Stone to  _take_ it from Thanos, he should've considered the possibility that it would ask something from him in turn. He was trying to get it to answer to him again instead of to Thanos, but why in the seven Hels would it grant such a small request?

 _You're mine,_ it tells him again, and Loki sees the opening it leaves, sees the offering, the olive branch, the opportunity to save everyone. To save the entire universe all he has to do is claim it, to connect himself to the Space Stone permanently. That could be an amazing thing. Or it could mean sacrificing some of his autonomy, some of his free will.

Thor wouldn't even hesitate. Loki, clearly, _would._

He takes a deep breath, and sees that his time is running out.

After Bruce saved Vision they got him back to Shuri's lab, and Thanos is on his way there now, mowing down the heroes that get in his way. On either side of Loki, Thor and the metal-armed man fight off creatures, keeping them from getting within ten feet of Loki. Wanda, at Vision's side in the lab, is staring at her love with barely hidden fear. On Titan, a team mourns for Gamora and Tony Stark holds a child that is and is not his own. And deep in the recesses of space, the incredible Valkyrie leads a series of escape pods, carrying the living Aesir.

Loki lets out the breath, and realizes it's no choice at all.

 _I'm yours,_ he accepts, and the then all he can see is blue.

* * *

_"Little prince," Thanos murmurs, examining Loki like a pet that has managed to surprise him with a new trick. "Look at you. Do you think that will honestly work?"_

_"Yes," Loki replies, the Space Stone's echo behind him, and grins. "And_ you do too _."_

Loki opens his eyes, popping to his feet with a gasp. Thor whirls around immediately, his expression concerned, and then he gapes at Loki. Or, more specifically, gapes at Loki's  _hand._

When Loki follows Thor's gaze, he sees the cause: The Space Stone, in all its glory, is sitting in his palm, perfectly cradled like it was meant to be there.

Loki looks back up, meeting his brother's eyes. "Well," he says lightly, feeling far more confident than he'd expected too, "seems I was successful."

"Holy fuck!" the metal-armed man exclaims, laughing. Loki looks over to him, raising an eyebrow. The man grins. "Did you  _see_ that? That stone just flew through the air towards you!" He laughs again. "Holy  _fuck!_ Did you take that from Thanos?"

The man's elation is contagious, and Loki grins back at him. "Oh, yes." Thor lets out a joyous yell. "Come on," Loki says, breathless, "we have a titan to kill."

It takes no more than a thought to use the Space Stone to transport the three of them to right in front of the building that houses Shuri's lab. Just to the side, the entirety of the Avengers are now doing their best to fight Thanos, which is far more successful now that he's down a stone, but he still possesses four.

Loki smiles, and opens a portal right through Thanos' neck, quickly closing it. The Mad Titan's head rolls right from his shoulders.

 _Wanda,_ Loki murmurs to the threads of the connection she established, _Tell Shuri she can stopit's over. Thanos is dead._

**Author's Note:**

> Hey everyone! I will be writing a follow-up piece/sequel about everything that happens afterwards (including to our babies on Titan!) so stick around/subscribe to the series if you're interested!
> 
> Has anyone read The Raven Cycle by the way? Loki's sacrifice of autonomy was slightly inspired by Adam Parish and Cabeswater.
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed, and Merry Christmas!


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